Phase II Final Report - NASA's Institute for Advanced Concepts

Chapter 1.0 Introduction
1.3 Mission
trace gases such as CH 4 , H 2 S, NH 3 , N 2 O, C 2 H 6 , etc., which are reducing agents, would be of
particular interest if detected on Mars. The presence of any of these reduced gases in the oxidizing
environment of Mars would indicate the possibility of life on the surface or subsurface.
1.3.3.6 Payload Delivery
Because of its ability to land and take off again, the Entomopter can be used to deliver payloads
to various locations on the surface. The payloads would be small micro-packages that can be
placed at desired locations on the surface or on top of hills or cliffs. The packages can contain
equipment for weather observing, seismic monitoring, solar intensity monitoring, dust monitoring,
or atmospheric adsorption observation. If the packages are intended to collect samples over
an extended period of time, the Entomopter can be used to retrieve the package once the sampling
period has ended.
1.3.3.7 Surface Sample Collection
The acquisition of surface samples over a region of the surface can be used for morphological,
mineralogical, and topographic data. As with the atmospheric samples, these surface samples
can be returned to the base vehicle for analysis. The physical characteristics and composition of
the samples can be determined. In addition to using the samples to characterize the surface material,
the samples also can be used for assessing a given location for various applications. For
example:
Soil and rock samples taken over a regional scale (500 m to 1,000 m) can be used to select landing
sites for potential future Mars missions.
Soil and rock samples taken over a local
scale (10 m to 100 m) can be used to
guide rovers or the base vehicle and get
to sampling areas that cannot be reached
from other ground vehicles.
Samples taken over a concentrated range
(1 m to 10 m) can be used to develop a
detailed evaluation of a specific location.
These samples can be taken from
areas inaccessible by ground rover, such
as up a steep incline or on the edge of a
cliff. An artist’s concept of the Entomopter
vehicle taking a sample from a
rock surface is shown in Figure 1-17.
Figure 1-17: Artist’s Concept of the Entomopter
Taking a Surface Sample
1.3.3.8 Searching for Subsurface Life
Possibly one of the most exciting applications of the Entomopter is the search for life on Mars.
Aside from the identification of the surface morphology and near surface mineralogy, there are
other ways in which the Entomopter vehicle can be used in the search for Mars life (both past
and present).
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